Rubber shoulder pad



1950 R. H. ROCKWELL 2,519,401

RUBBER SHOULDER PAD Filed July 10, 1947 FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

RUTH HELM ROCKWELL a wwzw z. 4

Patented Aug. 22, 1950 umrso s'rArss ATENT,

OFFICE 2,519,401 Runners SHOULDER PAD Ruth Helm Rockwell, Wichita, Kane.

Application July 10, 1947, Serial No. 1 Claim. (01. 2 2cs v I This invention relates to shoulder pads for garments.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoulder pad which will not lose its shape after much use and which is formed of soft sponge rubber material with a hard rubber or metal insert over the Wide extent of the same to maintain the shape over the outer end of the same.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shoulder pad which is not too stiff or uncomfortable and which is adapted to be inserted in a cover formed on the garment and which can be removed from the cover to be inserted in the cover on another garment thereby eliminating the necessity of having to carry more than one pair of shoulder pads with luggage when traveling.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide shoulder pads for garments which are of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a collective view of my shoulder pad with the insert removed from the top of the same.

Fig. 2 is a side elevatio-nal view of my shoulder pad without the hard rubber insert.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the hard rubber insert.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the insert.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the insert.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of shoulder pad in which the insert is formed of perforated metal embedded in the sponge rubber body.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the shoulder pad shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the shoulder pad shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the shoulder pad as it appears before being inserted in the slip cover of the garment,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a garment having a shoulder pad of the present invention fitted therein and shown in section and extending over ashoulder of a person.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 and 10, I5 represents the main body of my shoulder pad which is formed of sponge rubber and being crescent shaped in cross-section and substantially triangular shaped in plan is adapted to fit snugly over the shoulder and to give a close and comfortable fit thereover. The sponge rubber is soft enough so that it will fit itself to the contour of the shoulder and being of sponge rubber it will maintain its shape throughout long use. In the top of the sponge rubber body I2 is a triangular shaped recess located at the wide end of the shoulder pad adapted to receive a hard rubber insert it. This rubber insert can have the body of sponge rubber l2 vulcanized or secured to it so as to provide a unitary shoulder pad. The hard rubber being placed in the top surface and extending for a short distance therealong gives the shoulder pad a certain rigidness over that area whereby to eliminate any loss of shape. The sponge rubber is shaped and contoured to secure the best appearance. Once the pad has been assembled, it may be sold in pairs to a purchaser along with a, slip cover I5 which can be sewed to the shoulder of a garment It. The slip cover can have a slit il therein through which the pad can be extended.

When the triangular shaped hard rubber piece 54 is inserted in the recess 53, it will lie flush with the top surface of the sponge rubber 2. The hard rubber insert ii is also curved or contoured to accommodate itself to the sponge rubber l2.

Several pairs of slip covers can be purchased by the owner of garments and left on the garment and the shoulder pad can be inserted into them thereby necessitating only one pair of shoulder pads for several garments.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 6 to 9, there is shown a modified form of shoulder pad wherein a perforated metal stiffener 2! is embedded in a sponge rubber piece 22. The sponge rubber piece is of the shape of the shoulder pad and the perforated piece lies Within the same and unexposed to the surface of the pad. The plate is curved and is preferably of triangular shape so as to provide stiffness to the sponge rubber piece 22 at the outer end of the same so as to assist in maintaining the curved shape of the pad over the outer end of the shoulder. The finished pad is shown in Fig. 9. The metal can be vulcanized into the sponge rubber so that there is little opportunity for displacement or movement of the perforated plate within the rubber whereby to cause the same to cut or damage the rubber.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A shoulder pad comprising a body element of sponge rubber substantially triangular shaped in plan with a rounded vertex and substantially crescent shaped in cross section, said pad tapering from a thick outer end to a comparatively thin inner end at the vertex, said pad having a triangular shaped recess in the upper surface with the vertex of the recess extended inwardly and with the base thereof positioned flush with the outer end of the pad, a triangular shaped hard rubber stiffening element arcuate in cross section nested in the said recess with the outer surface of the stififening element flush with the outer surface of the pad, and a slip cover completely enclosing said pad.

RUTH HELM ROCKWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,951 Frais Mar. 15, 1938 2,421,736 Wein June 3, 1947' ,421,895 Leebow June 10, 1947 2,423,168 Barritz July 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date v 363,182 Great Britain Dec. 17. 1931 

